Persistency, often synonymous with perseverance or steadfastness, is a virtue highly esteemed in the Bible. It refers to the quality of continuing steadfastly in a course of action, belief, or purpose, especially in the face of difficulties or obstacles. The Scriptures provide numerous examples and teachings that highlight the importance of persistency in the life of a believer.

Biblical Examples of Persistency

1. Job's Endurance: The account of Job is a profound example of persistency. Despite losing his wealth, health, and family, Job remained steadfast in his faith. His unwavering trust in God amidst severe trials is encapsulated in Job 13:15 : "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face."

2. The Persistent Widow: In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus shares the parable of the persistent widow who continually approached an unjust judge to seek justice. Her relentless pursuit eventually led to her receiving justice. Jesus uses this parable to teach about the importance of persistent prayer, encouraging believers to "always pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1).

3. Paul's Ministry: The Apostle Paul exemplified persistency through his missionary journeys and epistles. Despite facing persecution, imprisonment, and hardship, Paul remained committed to spreading the Gospel. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul recounts his sufferings for Christ, yet he persisted in his mission, driven by his love for God and the church.

Teachings on Persistency

1. Prayer: Persistency in prayer is a recurring theme in the New Testament. Jesus encourages His followers to be persistent in their petitions to God. In Matthew 7:7-8 , He states, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

2. Faith and Works: James 1:2-4 highlights the role of persistency in developing spiritual maturity: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

3. Hope and Endurance: Romans 5:3-5 speaks to the relationship between suffering, perseverance, and hope: "Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."

Persistency in the Christian Life

Persistency is essential for spiritual growth and maturity. It is through persistent faith and obedience that believers can withstand trials and remain faithful to God's calling. Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages believers to "run with endurance the race set out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." This passage underscores the importance of looking to Christ as the ultimate example of persistency, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him.

Persistency is not merely a human effort but is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who strengthens believers to remain faithful and steadfast. Galatians 6:9 exhorts, "Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." This promise assures believers that their persistent efforts in righteousness will ultimately bear fruit.1. (n.) The quality or state of being persistent; staying or continuing quality; hence, in an unfavorable sense, doggedness; obstinacy.

2. (n.) The continuance of an effect after the cause which first gave rise to it is removed

3. (n.) The persistence of motion.

4. (n.) Visual persistence, or persistence of the visual impression; auditory persistence, etc.

Persistency in Wrong Doing.
... XLIII. PERSISTENCY IN WRONG DOING. 6th Sunday after Trinity. ... SUBJECT."My subject
is Persistency in doing wrong, because you have begun wrong. ...
/.../xliii persistency in wrong doing.htm

The Power of Ambition.
... Rome from a republic into an empire, and Napoleon the Corsican, are the classic
illustrations of the power of great ambition and dauntless persistency. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study vi the power of.htm

Letter cxxxix. To Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem.
... which brought you into such excessive troubles, I grieved to think you had been
yourself the source of your adversities by failing in persistency of opposition ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/letter cxxxix to juvenal bishop.htm

Jesus and Pilate
... Luke wishes to impress us with his persistency, as well as with the fixed determination
of the Jews, by his note of 'the third time.' Thrice was the choice ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/jesus and pilate.htm

"Nothing is Impossible to Industry, "Said one of the Seven Sages ...
... There is not the least doubt that much of our praying fails for lack of persistency.
It is without the fire and strength of perseverance. ...
/.../bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter vi nothing is impossible.htm

Israel's Obstinacy and God's Patience
... same weary round of sin, punishment, respite, and renewed sin, sets in a strong
light the two great wonders of man's obstinate persistency in unfaithfulness ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture f/israels obstinacy and gods patience.htm

The Realization of Selfless Love
... To reach this Love, to understand and experience it, one must work with great
persistency and diligence upon his heart and mind, must ever renew his patience ...
/.../allen/the way of peace/the realization of selfless love.htm

Conflict and Comfort.
... And therefore very often, when subjects and circumstances call for it, it has to
be viewed as a work involving labour, persistency, conflict, if it would be ...
/.../thomas/the prayers of st paul/vi conflict and comfort.htm

Introductory
... Rest, Joy, Peace, Faith, Love, Light"these words occur with such persistency in
hymns and prayers that an observer might think they formed the staple of ...
/.../drummond/the greatest thing in the world and other addresses/introductory.htm

The Women of the Gospel Narrative the Study of the Early Christian ...
... to religion and world-modifying influences, so wonderfully disproportionate to his
national importance; then there is the marvellous persistency of his racial ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/i the women of the.htm

Persistency (1 Occurrence)
... 4. (n.) Visual persistence, or persistence of the visual impression; auditory
persistence, etc. Multi-Version Concordance Persistency (1 Occurrence). ...
/p/persistency.htm - 7k

Obstinacy (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) Stubbornness; persistency; a fixedness in will, opinion, or resolution that
can not be shaken at all, or only with great difficulty; firm and usually ...
/o/obstinacy.htm - 7k

Lunatick (2 Occurrences)
... Meaning: The original meaning of the term seleniazomai, "moon-struck," is connected
with the popular belief, widespread and of strange persistency, that the ...
/l/lunatick.htm - 9k

Rouse (25 Occurrences)
... Luke 11:8 "I tell you that even if he will not rise and give him the loaves because
he is his friend, at any rate because of his persistency he will rouse ...
/r/rouse.htm - 14k

Requires (21 Occurrences)
... Luke 11:8 "I tell you that even if he will not rise and give him the loaves because
he is his friend, at any rate because of his persistency he will rouse ...
/r/requires.htm - 12k

Rate (23 Occurrences)
... Luke 11:8 "I tell you that even if he will not rise and give him the loaves because
he is his friend, at any rate because of his persistency he will rouse ...
/r/rate.htm - 15k

Persistence (2 Occurrences)

/p/persistence.htm - 7k

Perseverance (27 Occurrences)
... In theology (especially in the phrase "final perseverance") the word has come to
denote a special persistency, the undying continuance of the new life ...
/p/perseverance.htm - 18k

Persistent (5 Occurrences)

/p/persistent.htm - 8k

Loaves (54 Occurrences)
... Luke 11:8 "I tell you that even if he will not rise and give him the loaves because
he is his friend, at any rate because of his persistency he will rouse ...
/l/loaves.htm - 23k

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